TESL Journey: TESL 0150 - Assignment 3 Material Development Paper

Profile of Target Learners

My target learners are newcomers or immigrants from the age of 18 and above that do not have a lot of experience in a formal language classes, with language levels that start from CBL 3 and above. The language requirement is dictated by the program outline stated in the proposal submitted to the Manitoba government, with CBL1-3 learners being considered for different programming within the organization. All the students have expressed interest in working as an industrial sewing machine operator with our partner company. Therefore, the main goal of the learners is to gain the skill and knowledge required to qualify for technical training as a sewing machine operator in the garment factory and become successful in the field. The learners have a wide variety of experiences and schooling, with some having no form of education and others having college or university certification or degrees. My learners have high motivation to acquire and maintain employment and are driven to learn as much skills and knowledge as they can to pass technical training. Learners require workplace-specific training, including vocabulary, knowledge and skills, and much of their learning interest focuses on employment and workplace expectations. Technological proficiency is also varied, with some being comfortable with all forms of technology and others having no experience operating any technological device that are used in the classroom (computers, cellphones, etc.). Others may be more comfortable reading or accessing materials that are on paper.

Learning Objectives

· Identify the appropriate scenario based on a given verbal description of a step

· Recognize key words and select the appropriate response

· Appropriately fill out a given worksheet based on the verbal instructions given by the instructor.

· Be able to recall the step-by-step verbal instruction on how to operate an industrial sewing machine

Adapted or Created Materials with Explanation of the Part of the Lesson to Which They Belong

The materials are created to be part of the assessment portion of the lesson, whereby I assess whether students comprehend the verbal instructions given to them on how to operate a sewing machine. By understanding exactly what the verbal instructions are in terms of pictures, they can more efficiently remember the steps that they are required to follow when they operate the sewing machine. Therefore, the material is designed to be a learning comprehension assessment.

A Rationale for the Resource Suitability, Based on Evaluation Criteria and Principles in Materials Development

As indicated in Assignment 2, although modified, I decided to use a criterion based on Tomlinson (2014) and includes the following:

· Do the materials help learners personalize their learning?

· Do the materials engage the learners cognitively?

· Do the materials provide an achievable challenge?

· Do the materials help learners make use of the English environment outside the classroom?

Again, I used these principles when developing material because I wanted to make sure that the materials are learner-centred. The material helps learners personalize their learning by identifying information that they either don’t quite understand or have mastered. This enables them to address learning issues or problems in understanding, especially when it comes to exactly knowing what to do with the machine. It helps engage learners cognitively, as they would have to analyze what is being said (verbal instructions) and appropriately respond by selecting the image that they deem to be most appropriate as a match. This is important in the lesson because learners are developing learning skills or strategies that can help them when learning more complicated tasks or patterns while they are undergoing technical training or while they are working. Next, the material must provide an achievable challenge so that we can address any learning gaps but still be able to encourage the learner to acquire the necessary vocabulary and skills required to become successful. By scaffolding the skill of operating the sewing machine and having listening comprehension as one of the first initial steps, we are insuring that learners are able to acquire the skill of effectively listening to instructions to apply to a technical skill of sewing machine operation. Finally, since the class is meant for individuals that are finding employment, it is essential that the material is something that they can outside of the classroom and into the workplace.

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